From London to Paris, several top museums around the world are back in business to flaunt their riches, and so is Beijing. The Song Art Museum in Beijing has joined hands recently with other popular museums across the country to welcome visitors with prepared staff and necessary epidemic prevention and control guidelines, after being closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you are looking for an assorted package of art for just one price, try this year's Fun & Fashion Art Show! A large number of artwork collections combine a little bit of everything.
The Bearbrick figurine at the art show. /CGTN
A paradise for devoted collectors and artists, a visual feast for visitors
Strolling around the exhibition, you will soon be immersed in a strong atmosphere of art and culture — when you enter the exhibition hall, you can easily see a large set of Bearbrick collection before you. For devoted designer toy collectors, these iconic Bearbrick figures are the perfect addition to any shelf.
Brian Donnelly, better known as KAWS, the street artist made famous by his small vinyl sculptures — has collaborated with the renowned toy brand Bearbrick, to create some of the most collectible versions of the teddy bear-like figurine, which has stirred the KAWS & Bearbrick frenzy across the globe.
The Bearbrick collections at the art show. /CGTN
The company started out with original looks, but this time it has joined hands with some famous companies and brands like NASA and Chanel, and modeled a few pop cultural icons into their figures as exclusive collectors' items. Be it a Bearbrick in the form of a panda or the iconic Batman, there's something here for everyone to enjoy.
The KAWS figurine at the art show. /CGTN
Meanwhile, another piece of exhibits hanging on the wall next to the Bearbrick exhibition quickly caught my eyes — the sketches of Japanese classic cartoons including Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura, take you right back to your cherished childhood memories. If you are a big fan of Japanese anime, these sketches are a must-see!
The sketch of Japanese classic cartoon Sailor Moon at the show. /CGTN
'Guochao' is just in time: Who will be the next KAWS?
The Fun & Fashion Art Show has gathered a lot of cutting-edge artworks by emerging contemporary artists from across the globe, notably Daniel Arsham and KAWS. However, the art show also features the "Guochao" chic.
One of the artworks at the show. /CGTN
Guochao, literally "national hip," is the latest buzzword in the Chinese fashion world. The term initially referred to specific homegrown street-wear brands but now presents the country's rising cultural self-esteem. Today, many Chinese youngsters wear Guochao as a badge of pride.
This art show selected some unique artworks from promising Chinese contemporary artists like Zhao Yiqian, Wang Jianuo and Qin Linsen, which added to the highlight of the show. Some of their creative and fashionable artworks are exporting China's culture and aesthetics, which would probably stir a "shopping wave" online and is bound to make a lasting impression.
After visiting the show, I asked myself: Can art become a topic at our dinner table, and can it serve as a spiritual paradise in life?
How to go?
The Fun & Fashion Art Show is on display at East Area of Song Art Museum in Beijing, and will run until July 19. With 199 pine trees to scatter around, the Song Art Museum is like an "art container," with art as its mainstay and container as its complement. The museum gives the architecture and the art space more possibilities.
Entrance fee for the show: 68 yuan (9.7 U.S. dollars) per person.
Transportation: It takes around 30 minutes to drive from Chaoyang District to the museum.
Address: South Grass Road, Loutai Village, Tianzhu Town, Shunyi District, Beijing